Why Isn’t Your Business Blogging?

As a consumer yourself, wouldn’t you like to have easy access to fresh updates concerning the products and services you regularly use?

Your customers are no different.

Customers have been conditioned to expect answers whenever they need them. When they don’t get what they want your reputation erodes.

Knowing this, why are so few small businesses actively blogging? I believe it is because they do not understand the practice.

Early blogs were predominantly personal journals consisting of periodic communications on random topics. However, the top business blogs today are some of the most valued sources of fresh and relevant news.

Think of your business blog as a digital magazine for your customers. Quality blog posts are now often considered articles. Even the word blogging is considered passé. Now we simply think of ourselves as publishers.

This new mindset acknowledges that in this digital age every business is now its own media company.

Your business blog should include the following, which you can easily accomplish with a self-hosted WordPress site. WordPress started as a blogging platform, but has now evolved into the world’s leading CMS (Content Management System) for businesses.

#1 – Organized Information

Early blogs used archives and categories to organize information. Just as your business processes must adapt to changing conditions, so too have the methods for successfully blogging. Guide your visitor. Consider adding a “start here” tab that leads to your best articles organized into a series of subject matter tutorials.

#2 – Up-to-Date Information

Google wants what people want, and that is the most up-to-date information they can find on a particular subject. By consistently publishing fresh content to your blog, you are serving both your customers and the search engines that will help you find new ones.

#3 – Relevant Information

The more you blog the more you will learn how to help your customers, particularly if you are paying attention to comments and what earns greater sharing among their social network communities. You’ll soon realize the most relevant issues change slowly, if they change at all.

For example, last week I read a publication that interviewed several business leaders. Nearly every comment eventually circled back to one core challenge – getting new customers and keeping the current ones happy, while of course turning a profit.

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Comments

Hey Jeff –
One of your best! Maybe “publisher” is the magic word. I honestly think more and more businesses want to blog (or publish) – at least that’s what I’m hearing from clients. But they view the process as too time intensive and the commitment side of it, overwhelming. Some are realizing that, no matter how you slice it, marketing is a time investment. And, in my experience, the results of a blog well-done far exceed those of traditional marketing activities.
Thanks for a blog well done!

I couldn’t agree more about being a “publisher.” I remember in the early days when only a handful were reading this, I still got a thrill from hitting that PUBLISH button.

Also, no question this is work. It really bothers me when I hear other consultants or speakers saying how easy and how much fun this is. It is fun when it works, but those of us who do it well know it’s not easy.

I suppose for me the fun part is getting shares and comments like yours!

Great advice, Jeff. As a new blogger, it’s great to hear a perspective of thinking of it as a digital magazine for my customers. That frame of reference certainly moves it into the “must do” consistently category.

No question about is Sandi – it’s all about meeting customer expectations.

Businesses wonder why they get negative reviews on sites such as Yelp. The reason is their customers are frustrated, and that is easily managed by giving them the information they need, and a forum for expressing their views to get feedback from the company.

Hi, Jeff! As a blogger who posts daily, I understand very well the importance of blogging! Blogging levels the playing field with the big companies. Actually, because I am an entrepreneur, I guess I have the advantage because I don’t have to get approval for what I write! I don’t just blog on my main message – success. I also blog about what’s on my mind…what’s happening in my life…because I want my readers to know ME. I’m a real person…:-)